Shotgun

ABSTRACT

The disclosure relates to a shotgun of the tilting breech type having a barrel assembly with the barrel mounted in a cavity in the lowermost part of the breech block and provided with a ventilating rib of a substantial depth of at least one barrel diameter. In one form of the invention, movable balance weight is provided along the rib to permit varying gun balance and weight as desired. Also in another form of the invention, an extension is provided on the ventilating rib to increase sighting radius without increase in barrel length.

United States Patent [191 Wolff Apr. 10, 1973 1 SHOTGUN [75] Inventor: Richard C. Wolff, Croton-on-l-lud- 211 App]. No.: 98,362

[52] US. Cl... ..42/40, 42/1 S, 42/76 R [51] Int. Cl ..F4lg l/52, F41c 21/00 [58] Field of Search ..42/76 R, l S, l N,

Walter ..42/1 R Klipsch ..42/1 R Primary Examiner-Benjamin A. Borchelt Assistant ExaminerC. T. Jordan Attorney-Ward, McElhannon, Brooks 81. Fitzpatrick ABSTRACT The disclosure relates to a shotgun of the tilting breech type having a barrel assembly with the barrel mounted in a cavity in the lowermost part of the breech block and provided with a ventilating rib of a substantial depth of at least one barrel diameter. In one form of the invention, movable balance weight is provided along the rib to permit varying gun balance [56] References Cited and weight as desired. Also in another form of the in- UNITED STATES PATENTS vention, an extension is provided on the ventilating rib to increase sighting radius without increase in barrel 2,529,733 11/1950 King ..42/1 N length. 1,437,797 12/1922 Fisher ..42/l S 2,929,164 3/1960 Browning ..42/76 R 3 Claim, 11 Drawing Figures 0 4 /46 f/ E3 2 Mi 4 I INF JHHF Jllv F j Q l 1 [R [(i 3 20 t l s 0- b 8, I5

PAI'ENTEU m 1 0 ma SHEET 1 BF 2 Sl-IOTGUN The present invention relates to shotguns and more particularly to a novel trapshooting shotgun construction.

Trapshooting involves shooting at flying clay birds with a shotgun of special construction. The birds are released from a trap house which is sunken into the ground l6 yards in front of the firing line. The birds come out low and travel at varying angles normally unknown to the shooter. Trapshooting thus simulates field shooting at pheasants, partridge and certain species of grouse and quail.

Usually, the trapshooter, in competition with five other shooters, is required to take five shoots from five different firing stations, firing at twenty-five targets in all. While there are other forms of competition trapshooting, the foregoing is the most common.

Generally, trapshooters require a shotgun having a long, heavy, single barrel to help achieve a steady swing and a long line of sight. Normally, heretofore all single barrel trapguns have been manufactured by removing the lowermost or bottom barrel of the so-called over and under" shotgun; that is, a shotgun of the tilting breech type having two barrels with the barrels vertically arranged.

However, it has been found that the jet action resulting from removing the bottom barrel and firing the top barrel only causes the gun to move rearwardly and upwardly, resulting in considerable undesired gun recoil. Therefore, in contrast to the practice heretofore, in the trapgun construction of the present invention, the uppermost barrel of the over andunder shotgun is removed and only the bottom barrel is rendered functional. This construction virtually eliminates any upward component of the rearward thrust of the gun recoil, making the recoil far less disturbing to the shooter.

Further, in the gun construction of the present invention, the upper barrel is replaced by an elongated ventilating rib of substantial depth. As a result of prolonged firing, heat waves are generated from the barrel of the gun. These heat waves interfere with the shooter's line of sight. To reduce this interference, sight ribs have been attached to the barrel in spaced relation thereto to permit circulation of air between the sight rib and barrel. However, the spacing between the rib and top barrel in trapgun construction heretofore has been restricted. However, in the gun construction of the present invention, since the top barrel has been removed and replaced by the ventilating rib of substantial depth, circulation of air has been greatly increased, reducing to a considerable degree, the undesired heat waves from the barrel without altering normal sighting procedures.

Likewise, in the gun construction of the present invention movable weight means is provided along the elongated ventilating rib to permit the shooter to change the point of balance of the gun or its weight at his discretion.

Further, since trapshooters desire a sighting radius as long as possible, in the shotgun of the present invention there is included an extension on the ventilating rib beyond the muzzle end of the. barrel, thereby increasing the shooter's sighting radius without increasing the over-all gun barrel length.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be apparent herefrom or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in applicants claims.

The invention consists in novel parts, construction, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawings referred to and constituting a part hereof illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a shotgun embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of a shotgun barrel embodying the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of the loading end of the barrel shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of the firing end of the barrel shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 55, FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6, of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a partial side elevation of the shotgun of the present invention provided with movable weight means;

FIG. 8 is a cross-secti0nal view taken along line 8-8, FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a partial side elevation of the shotgun of the present invention provided with another form of movable weight means;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line l010, FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a partial side elevation of the shotgun of the present invention provided with ventilated rib extension.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, there is illustrated therein a shotgun embodying the present invention which is designated generally 10. Shotgun 10 is of the so-called over and under" type, i.e., the barrel assembly is pivotally mounted for vertical movement to effect loading thereof.

Shotgun 10 is provided with a barrel assembly 12, a receiver section 14, a stock section 16, a forearm section 18, and trigger assembly 19. Barrel assembly 12 is pivotally mounted in receiver section 14 for vertical rotation about a hinge pin 15 to and from its seated, operative position in receiver 14 in the direction of the arrows, FIG. 1. With this mounting arrangement, barrel assembly 12 is pivoted downwardly exposing the portion thereof heretofore seated in receiver 14 for loading. When loaded, barrel assembly 12 is pivoted upwardly, returning it to seated, operative position as shown in FIG. 1.

The receiver section 14, stock section 16, forearm section 18 and trigger assembly 19 are of a design, construction and operation well known in the art.

Barrel assembly 12, however, is of novel construction and operation and includes an elongated barrel 20 secured at one end in a breech block 24. Breech block 24 is the portion of the barrel assembly 12 seated in receiver section 14 when barrel assembly 12 and receiver 14 are in operative relationship as shown in FIG. 1.

As will be noted best from FIGS. 2 and 3, breech block 24 is provided with two vertically disposed openings 26 and 28 since the same breech block construction is utilized for double-barrelled shotguns as well as shotguns embodying the present invention. However, directly contrary to practice heretofore, the upper opening 26 is rendered inoperative by a plug 30 while barrel 20 is operatively fitted into lower cavity 28 of breech block 24.

Thus, when firing of gun 10, since the lower cavity 28 of breech block is utilized, the rearward thrust of the gun recoil is almost directly backward with no upward component, making such recoil less disturbing to a shooter than the gun construction heretofore wherein the upper breech block cavity is employed.

Barrel assembly 12 also includes a ventilated sight rib 32, which is coextensive with barrel 20. Ventilated rib 32 is of generally inverted U-shape cross-section formed by a pair of opposed side sections 34 and 36 and a top section 38 which can be formed integrally or joined as separated plates. (See FIGS. and 6). Side sections 34 and 36 are each provided with a plurality of elongated openings 40 and 42, with the upper openings 40 and the lower openings 42 in side 34 aligned with their counterpart openings in side 36. In effect, ventilated rib 32 is secured to barrel 20 at a plurality of spaced locations 41 therealong. Top section 38 of rib 32 extends into and becomes part of the breech block 24 with the upper surface 44 of section 38 aligned with the sighting surface 13 of receiver section 14 when the barrel assembly 12 and receiver 14 are in operative relationship shown in FIG. 1.

Although rib 32 is shown as preferably of an inverted U-shape cross-section, it will be understood that it can be formed of other elongated shapes, such as, of a generally I-shaped or T-shaped cross-section with equal facility and without adverse effect upon the mode of operation of the invention.

As shown best in FIGS. 2 and 3, the shotgun of the present invention is provided with a ventilated rib 32 which is higher in cross-section than heretofore possible in this type of shotgun construction. In the present invention, since the upper opening 26 of breech block 24 is rendered inoperative and barrel is seated in the lowermost breech block cavity 28, ventilating rib 32 extends from the normal sighting plane to the top of barrel 20. Since the normal sighting plane is generally determined by surface 44 of plate 38, surface 13 of receiver 14 and front sight element 46 on rib 32, rib 32 is of a greater cross-sectional depth than heretofore, being at least the diameter of one gun barrel in depth. This deeper ventilated rib 32 with its plurality of openings 40 and 42 permits a greater circulation of air and provides a more efficient interruption of the heat waves generated by extended periods of firing.

In another aspect of the present invention as shown in FIGS. 7, 8, 9 and 10, means is provided for varying the point of balance of shotgun 10 at the shooter's discretion. In FIGS. 7 and 8, there is illustrated a movable balance weight 48, slidably mounted between side sections 34 and 36 of rib 32 and adapted to be secured in position in rib 32 by set screws 50. Set screws 50 are positioned in one of the openings 40 or 42. For example, screws 50 are located in upper opening 40, shown in FIG. 7 and are threaded into weight 48. With weight 48 in the desired position along rib 32 set screws 50 are rotated to bear against associated side sections 34 or 36, locking weight 48 into place. It will be understood that if the location of weight 48 is desired to be moved, set screws 50 are removed from weight 48 and weight 48 slid along barrel 20 to the new desired location and the set screws 50 are then reinserted through their associated opening 40 or 42 into weight 48, securing the weight in its new position as desired.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, if desired, more weight may be added than can conveniently be located totally within rib 32. This additional weight is provided by side weight members 52 and 54 mounted on the outside of rib 32 adjacent the exterior faces of side sections 34 and 36, respectively. Outer weights 52 and 54 are each provided with threaded openings to accommodate locking screws 56. Screws 56 are adapted to be rotated into accommodating threaded openings in outer weight 54 and in outer weight 52, passing through either or both of the associated openings 40 and 42 in side plates 34 and 36. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, one screw 56 is located in each opening 40 and 42. When thus rotated into locking position, screws 56 secure weights 52 and 54 in desired position along barrel 20. The position of the weights can be readily changed at the shooters discretion to any new location therealong by removal and reinsertion of screws 56 at the new position.

Since a gun which is muzzle-heavy will tend to swing harder and follow through better, a shooter with a tendency to stop his swing prematurely can position the internal movable weight 48, or the outer weights 52 and 54 along barrel 20 near the muzzle end thereof. A shooter with slower reflexes desires a gun which can be moved faster and such a shooter positions the aforesaid movable weight or weights further back along barrel 20 between the forearm 18 and the grip position of stock section 16 where the hands are normally placed. This has the effect of making the gun muzzle feel light and swing faster. Likewise, the weight added to gun 10 by provision of balance weights 48, 52 and 54 assists in counteracting the recoil energy generated when a shot is fired. Such provision of balance weights to a gun of the present general type could not be readily accomplished heretofore.

Likewise, with the gun of the present invention, it is possible to change the total weight of the gun by adding additional weights or by replacing a given weight with another lighter or heavier one. Thus, if the shooter wishes to change the weight of the gun to provide sufficient resistance to the recoil energy generated by a shot, he can add additional internal weights 48 or external weights S2 and 54 or replace such lighter weights with heavier ones, as he may desire. In like manner, if the shooter desires to reduce gun weight, he can remove weights 48 of 52 and 54 entirely or replace them with lighter ones. This provides a shooter with total flexibility in regard to gun weight.

As discussed hereinabove, trapshooters desire a sighting radius as long as possible. With the gun construction of the present invention it is possible to provide an extended line of sight without increase in barrel length. As shown in FIG. 11, ventilated rib 32 at the muzzle end of barrel 20 is provided with an extension section 56, which can be an integral part of rib 32 or can be a readily-removable addition thereto as, for example, by the use of lock screws (not shown). Section 56 is provided with a top surface 58 in alignment with top surface 44 of rib 32 and has a lower portion 59 tapering upwardly from the top of barrel 20 at the muzzle end thereof toward surface 58. Surface 58 thus sooperates with surface 44 in defining and extending the normal line of sight of gun 10. As will be understood by reference to FIG. 11, this extension of the line of sight is possible in a gun embodying the features of the present invention since the muzzle of barrel 20 is located substantially below the top surface 44 of rib 32. Thus the line of sight of gun is extended without increase in the gun barrel length or in any way interfering with normal gun operation.

Thus there is disclosed a shotgun of novel construction especially suitable for trapshooting with its particular requirements.

The presently preferred embodiments of the invention have been described for purposes of explanation. It should be understood that modifications may be made therein as will appear evident to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains. It is, therefore, intended to encompass all such changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a shotgun of the tilting breech type having a gun stock, a receiver section secured to said stock and having an upper sighting surface, trigger means operatively connected to said receiver, a barrel assembly, means pivotally mounting said barrel assembly on said receiver for movement of a portion of said assembly into and out of operative position within said receiver, said barrel assembly including a breech having a depth of at least two barrel diameters, said breech having at least one cavity in the lowermost portion thereof, said breech being constructed and arranged to be seated in operative firing relationship in said receiver and rotatably movable therefrom in an upward direction for loading, the improvement comprising a single elongated operative barrel secured at one end in said lower cavity to substantially reduce the upward movement of the rearward thrust of the gun recoil, an elongated rib mounted on said operative barrel and extending longit'udinally of and along said operative barrel, said rib having an upper surface in substantial planar alignment with the sighting surface on said receiver, said rib extending upwardly from said operative barrel a distance of at least one barrel diameter, and having transverse openings therein to increase dissipation of heat waves from said operative barrel when said gun is fired.

2. A shotgun according to claim 1 wherein said rib comprises a top section and an intermediate support section, said intermediate section including a pair of Y spaced opposed side members, said side members having a plurality of pairs of openings, with the openings in each of said side members aligned for cooperation to admit the circulation of air therethrough, balance weight mounted for movement along said rib and locking means for said weight to secure said weight in selected position along said barrel.

3. The shotgun as defined in claim 1 further including a section on said elongated rib adjacent the end of said barrel remote from said breech, said section extending beyond the firing end of said barrel whereby the sighting radius of said shotgun is increased without increase in barrel length.

:r k a: 

1. In a shotgun of the tilting breech type having a gun stock, a receiver section secured to said stock and having an upper sighting surface, trigger means operatively connected to said receiver, a barrel assembly, means pivotally mounting said barrel assembly on said receiver for movement of a poRtion of said assembly into and out of operative position within said receiver, said barrel assembly including a breech having a depth of at least two barrel diameters, said breech having at least one cavity in the lowermost portion thereof, said breech being constructed and arranged to be seated in operative firing relationship in said receiver and rotatably movable therefrom in an upward direction for loading, the improvement comprising a single elongated operative barrel secured at one end in said lower cavity to substantially reduce the upward movement of the rearward thrust of the gun recoil, an elongated rib mounted on said operative barrel and extending longitudinally of and along said operative barrel, said rib having an upper surface in substantial planar alignment with the sighting surface on said receiver, said rib extending upwardly from said operative barrel a distance of at least one barrel diameter, and having transverse openings therein to increase dissipation of heat waves from said operative barrel when said gun is fired.
 2. A shotgun according to claim 1 wherein said rib comprises a top section and an intermediate support section, said intermediate section including a pair of spaced opposed side members, said side members having a plurality of pairs of openings, with the openings in each of said side members aligned for cooperation to admit the circulation of air therethrough, balance weight mounted for movement along said rib and locking means for said weight to secure said weight in selected position along said barrel.
 3. The shotgun as defined in claim 1 further including a section on said elongated rib adjacent the end of said barrel remote from said breech, said section extending beyond the firing end of said barrel whereby the sighting radius of said shotgun is increased without increase in barrel length. 